Chaos erupted in the Gaza Strip yesterday when masked Hamas goons blew up a 40-foot-high border barrier yesterday – and hundreds of thousands of Palestinian shoppers poured into Egypt to buy everything from camels and goats to TVs and crates of Coca-Cola.

The Palestinians were desperate for consumer goods after Israel imposed a blockade last week in response to terrorist rocket attacks from Gaza.

In response, black-hooded militants opened Gaza’s other border by using land mines to destroy the concrete wall separating the strip from Egypt.

Within hours, an estimated 350,000 Palestinians rushed across the border in what looked like history’s greatest shopping spree.

“This is a key victory for Hamas,” farmer Abu Ayman said as he and his son wrestled with two calves for which he had paid $1,000 in Egypt. “Before, we couldn’t even find coffins to bury our dead.”

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak ordered border guards not to try to stop the tidal wave into the Sinai Peninsula.

“I told them to let them come in and eat and buy food and then return later as long as they were not carrying weapons,” he said.

The Bush administration said Hamas is responsible for the plight of Gaza residents.

“The Palestinians living in Gaza are living under chaos because of Hamas, and the blame has to be placed fully at their feet,” White House press secretary Dana Perino said.

Officials noted that about 250 rockets and mortars were launched across Gaza’s eastern border into Israel in the past week.

Yesterday, jubilant shoppers on foot or in donkey carts crossed back into Gaza from Egypt with sacks of flour, powdered milk and cement, live sheep, camels and chickens, and giant cans of gasoline and olive oil.

“I have bought everything I need for the house for months,” said Mohammed Saeed, pushing a trolley. “I have bought food, cigarettes and even two gallons of diesel for my car.”

The capitalist spirit spread quickly.

Mohammed Abu Ghazel, 29, said he managed to cross the border three times to buy cigarettes to sell for food money.

He said he bought $53 worth of smokes in Egypt and then sold them for five times that in Gaza.

Gazan taxi drivers doubled their fare rates as news of the shopping bonanza spread by radio, TV and word of mouth.

“We want to buy food. We want to buy rice and sugar, milk and wheat and some cheese,” said Ibrahim Abu Taha, 45, a father of seven.

He said he could get the food in Gaza, but at three times the price.

Some Gaza residents traveled more than 25 miles, only to discover the border store shelves were empty by the time they arrived.

Israel, which withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza two years ago, expressed fear about the collapse of Egyptian border security.

“Obviously, we are worried about the situation. It could potentially allow anybody to enter,” said Arye Mekel, a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Western aid officials say Gazans aren’t starving but have to pay high prices for goods because of the Israeli blockade – imposed because of the continued shelling by Hamas and other terror groups.

Israel tightened its blockade of Gaza last Thursday and partially lifted it on Tuesday to allow in some fuel shipments.